Word Association Test (WAT) is one of the projective approaches which is employed by psychologists for their clinical diagnosis. It is a test of the personality, imagination and mental function of the candidate. The candidates are presented with a list of words, one at a time and asked to respond with the first idea or thought that strikes their mind. This test is also known as idea writing test.
The words in WAT are designed and arranged in a manner to attract the spontaneous reaction of the candidate, which helps the psychologist read a candidate’s personality traits. Each candidate has a different perception of a given word and on its basis, he associates his thoughts with that word. These thoughts are influenced by his environment.
For the same word; different feelings, thoughts, and reactions may be aroused or triggered in different people. With the help of this test, the psychologist understands or gets a fair idea of the candidate’s personality, his likes and dislikes, achievements, emotional attitudes and temperament.
Personality traits like Initiative, Loyalty, Liveliness, Leadership, Adaptability, Cooperative Spirit, Intelligence, Courage, Determination, Team Spirit, Spirit of adventure, Hard work, Organizational ability, Sociability, Resourcefulness, Self-confidence, Fearlessness, Sense of justice, Sense of duty and responsibility, Unselfishness (all a part of OLQs) are reflected by a candidate’s response.
Some tips to form better sentences in Word Association Test (WAT)
Be spontaneous, and not studied: Your response should be voluntary and unconstrained. You may forget the mugged up sentences, your spontaneous reactions reflect your qualities whether you are fit to be an officer or not. Remember it is not a test of language but personality.
Practice helps: It is always useful. It helps you in making the right and quick response to words set for WAT with spontaneity. You will be able to avoid pitfalls in the SSB tests if you have done some practice for WAT exercises.
Selection of words: The SSBs select such words for WAT that bring out particular officer like qualities. The words can be of two types- A. Knowledge based- Words in this category imply observational sentences. Not necessarily they trigger any spontaneous stimuli and are conventional in type. For example- Missile, Atom, Keyboard, Ice, Kitchen, Money, Diamonds etc. B. Character based- Words in this category activate and stimulate your responses. You demonstrate your OLQs mostly from these type of words. For example Peace, Love, Anger, Brave, Admire, Initiative, Think, Youth, etc. So practice more with such kind of words and analyse yourself with OLQ list. Within a few days, you will notice changes in your pattern of responses which also reflect in your normal life. Also, do not try to associate every word with Defence career, it only indicates the psychologist that the reactions are not natural and the candidate has been wrongly coached.
Write short, crisp and meaningful: Write simple and brief sentences to save time. There is no need to use articles in every sentence. Make meaningful and logical sentences, don’t use a lot of imaginary power, your sentences must be real and grounded.
Free of grammatical errors & legible handwriting: Write grammatically correct sentences and maintain a good handwriting. This is a test of pressure, your ability to stay calm and composed is revealed from your written work. A candidate struggling to write sentences with a poor handwriting and scribbling responses is more likely to be knocked off from the pressure of the test.
Creativity & Originality: When a word flashes on the screen, record the first image that comes to your mind associated with that word. This is your original idea of the word. Now write a positive sentence from that word or relate it to a story and jot it down on your answer sheet.
Do not use modal verbs: Remember not to use words like can, could, may, might, should, must, ought to. They express likelihood, ability or permission and form the basis of imaginary sentences.
Use remedial or denial approach for negative words: Never form sentences showing negative traits like pessimism, anti-social feelings. In Remedial approach, a remedial or curative word is used as a starting word showing its remedial effect for the negative word. In Denial approach, along with the negative word, denial expression is used to deny the existence of the negative word in one’s ideas. In this technique, words like no, never, do not, not, etc can be used to form sentences. For example- Hate Using denial approach: Never pays in a relationship. Using remedial approach: Love overcomes hatred.
In case of less time or Inability to complete a sentence: If you fall short of time or if, for some words, you are not able to form full sentences, just write your idea or immediate reaction about that sentence in a word or two. The psychologist will understand what you want to convey. For example, for the word Sports, if you are unable to complete the sentence in time, just write “adventurous“. The psychologist will derive the conclusion that by adventurous you mean to convey something about adventurous sports or that sports are adventurous.
The last thing about succeeding in WAT is always try to demonstrate and express positive attitude with the feeling of determination and dedication.
AFCAT 2 2018 Registration Dates: Indian Air Force invites Indian citizens (male and women) to be part of this elite force as Class 1 Gazetted Officers in Flying, Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches. Online examination will be conducted on 18 Aug 18 and 19 Aug 18 for AFCAT exam.
Update: AFCAT 2 2018 REGISTRATIONS HAVE BEEN STARTED ON 16th June 2018
If you are an Indian air force aspirant and waiting for the Indian airforce registrations, you need not worry, as if now, the registrations have not yet started. We suggest all AFCAT aspirants, visit the official website of AFCAT every day for the latest updates. SSBCrack will also notify as and when the application goes online.
Things to remember:
AFCAT registration will take place via new website i.e. afcat.cdac.in
For the first time, AFCAT will be conducted online at various centres across the country.
Candidates may contact AFCAT cell on Toll free no. 1800-11-2448 or Phone number 022-25503105 or 022-25503106 to resolve any query regarding registration and submission of online application procedure. Query timings are 0930 to 1700 hrs on all working days. E-mail queries may be addressed to [email protected]
Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers, along with the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Saturday, officials said.
The firing took place around 1215 hours, an army officer said.
In the sudden firing, an Army Major and three soldiers were killed, the officer said
Indian troops were retaliating effectively, the officer said.
The Siachen glacier at 22,000 feet with 70 kilometres of inhospitable terrain & treacherous weather is the worlds highest and most extreme battlefield! It is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas.
The Indian army on 13 April 1984, seized full control of the Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir, in a hair-raising operation, codenamed operation Meghdoot (meaning cloud messenger), the operation was spearheaded because of the auspicious luck of having crucial intelligence at the right time about a Pakistani advance prompting the Indian army to take preemptive measures, giving us the initiative and tactical advantage over the Pakistani operation.
More than three decades have passed since then and both our countries are still at a stand-off regarding control over the region, with our soldiers maintaining a year-long presence (on a three-month rotational basis) on such barren & hellishly inhospitable land. What made a race amongst mountaineering expeditions turn into a conflict that has been going for 30 years without end? What is this conflict about?
As with many long-running territorial conflicts, the Siachen conflict too started with an un-demarcated border,
with both countries having different geographical interpretations.
The glacier is located outside the Polo region, with the Saltoro ridge to its west and Indira Col India’ss northernmost point) due north, beyond & to the west lies Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), to the east of Siachen is the Karakoram pass.
The 1972 Shimla agreement after the Indo-Pak war of 1971, led to the creation of the LOC defining the geographical territory of both countries, however despite this the border issues were not settled as the LOC’s demarcation was up to NJ9842, with India’s interpretation regarding the issue being that the LOC runs to the north from the grid point NJ9842 along the Saltoro ridge to Indira Col to the east to the Karakoram pass till the border with China.
Pakistan’s interpretation of the issue is that the LOC travels in a straight line, east from the grid point NJ9842 in a straight line to the Karakoram pass on the LOAC (line of actual control) with China.
Leading to conflict due to the entirely different interpretation of the territory.
The Indian army is posted on the Saltoro ridge, while Pakistani posts are 3000 feet below around 100 Indian posts, controlling positions west of Saltoro ridge.
Both countries reached a cease-fire agreement in 2003, and both sides have suffered massive casualties due to the unforgiving wheater.
Now that we have a basic idea of what the conflict is about, let us know what the strategic importance of the Siachen glacier to India that we have troops all year round there.
Siachen holds many spheres of geopolitical importance in Kashmir, a particular piece of geography being in the Karakoram pass, which is between the POK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) region and Aksai Chin (Chinese occupied region of Kashmir) region of Kashmir.
It the only barrier preventing the convergence of Pakistani and Chinese forces in Kashmir.
If unfortunately the Pakistani and Chinese forces were allowed to converge up at Siachen, the Indian’s national security and sovereignty over the entire northern frontier would be massively undermined and under immense threat, it would create a very powerful military alliance of India’s two biggest military rivals putting India at a crippling disadvantage.
The monumental heights of Siachen give the Indian Army the advantage of keeping a close eye monitoring the activities of the enemy in case of a conflict.
making it vital for India’s interests, even if it means spending 5 crores every day & approx to 2million$ (USD) month.
with the importance of Siachen into context we will look at so hair-raising facts about operations and life on the Siachen glacier
Operation Meghdoot:
(Pretext)
In the 1970s and early 1980s, The Govt of Pakistan permitted several mountaineering expeditions to the Siachen region, it was beleived to be an attempt to legitimize their claim there, oftentimes liaison officers accompanied the teams, So In 1978, the Indian Army too allowed mountaineering expeditions to the glacier, most notably the one launched by Colonel Narinder Kumar, who was a renowned mountaineer, to survey the Siachen glacier, the mission due to its nature was ‘classified’ throught the expedition Colonol Narinder and his team (soldier slected from ladakh scouts) were taunted by a pakistani helicopter throwing coloured smoke signalling their awarness of their presence, undeterred the colonol and his team summited the peaks of Indira Col (18900ft) and Sia Kangri (24,370ft), the expedition team returned with crucial information and insight about the terrain.
Contention over the glacier was aggravated by these expeditions, through both sides asserting their claims.
The Indian Army received intelligence reports that the Pakistani army ordered a large amount of arctic gear and mountaineering equipment unbeknownst to them it was the same London supplier who supplied arctic gear to the Indian army! This got the army to believe that Pakistan is indefinitely preparing for a high altitude Pakistani military operation, in response to the Pakistani operation the Indian army launched a counter-operation, soldiers had been deployed troops from Northern Ladakh region including some paramilitary forces were also deployed to the glacier area. Most of the troops had been acclimatized to the extremities of the glacier through a training expedition to Antartica in 82.
Pakistani military’s top brass decided to stake their claim through troop deployments to the Siachen glacier. However, after studying the Indian Army’s mountaineering expeditions, they were afraid of India’s capability to capture key ridges and passes near the glacier, deciding to deploy their troops first.
Having received the intelligence inputs about planned Pakistani action in the area and their order of large-scale arctic equipment, India decided to prevent Pakistan from laying its claim to the glacier and eventually stop their future expeditions to the glacier, launching the operation,
which was codenamed Operation Meghdoot.
Operations Meghdoot aimed to airdrop troops into Siachen, with the offensive beginning on 13th April 1984 it only took the Indian army weeks to seize control of the entire Siachen glacier.
after this war followed,
Operation Rajiv
India captured the area during Operation Meghdoot however eventually, Pakistan launched an offensive in the area, gaining control of the highest peak in the area, which the Pakistanis named the “Quaid Post” in honour of their leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
The Quaid Post was manned by soldiers of the Shaheen Company (3rd commando battalion), a part of Pakistan’s Special Service Group (SSG) their elite commando unit (the Pakistani equivalent to our PARA (SF)).
India despite three daring attempts led by Major Varinder Singh, Harnam Singh, Sansar Chand was unable to capture the post.
Capturing that post was imperative to Indian success as it gave away a clear view of Indian troop movement in the Saltoro-Siachen area, so on June 26th, 1987 the Indian army launched a surprise offensive lead by Naib Subedar Bana Singh, the team started the daredevil assault by climbing a 1500 foot ice wall, approaching the post from a completely unexpected direction catching the enemy off guard
Bana Singh’s team reached the top of the peak and found that there was only one Pakistani bunker. Approaching the bunker from behind, they realized that their rifles were jammed so Naib Subedar Bana Singh then lobbed a frag grenade inside the bunker before closing the door, killing the hostiles inside. The two sides also got involved in a hand-to-hand combat with bayonets, dispatching some of the Pakistani soldiers outside the bunker, while a few Pakistani soldiers jumped off the peak, the bodies of six enemy soldiers were later found.
Naib Subedar Bana Singh was awarded the Param Veer Chakra (India’s highest award for gallantry) for his daring actions in capturing the post, furthermore, the Quaid post was renamed the ‘Bana post’ in the honour of Naib Subedar Bana Singh.
OP Baba Shrine:
The OP baba shrine in the Siachen glacier was made in the honour of Om Prakash whowas an artillery soldier was sent on a patrol on Malaun Post in Bila Complex in Northern Glacier, where he single-handedly beat back the enemy but never returned back and no one saw him or his body, however, troops were forewarned in their dreams about impending dangers on the Glacier, after which spiritual belief in OP Baba increased and temples were built in his name.
there are reports of missions are regularly given to him before and after. OP Baba not only protects the personnel on the Glacier from the enemy but also from the hostile nature and terrain. Troops talk about getting dreams whenever a warning is to be issued from the Baba.
Troops give up tobacco, alcohol and non-vegetarian food during their three-month tenure on the glacier furthermore soldiers and officers of all ranks take their blessing from OP Baba before heading out for operations and have faith that OP Baba will protect them.
longest Running Air Supply Mission:
The Army Aviation Corps (AAC) in Siachen runs the longest running air supply mission in the world which must carry on all year round, helicopter pilots only have around 200 clear flying days with choppers only being able to operate from first light to mid-morning.
The ALH-Druv MK-3 is the only aircraft with capabilities of landing in the farthest operational posts, it is equipped with an advanced Shakti engine and boasts a load capacity of 5,500 kg and is operational with a carbon fibre body reducing its overall weight.
The pilots deliver everything from kerosene stocks to ration supplies to the soldiers in remote outposts, air dropping them at designated coordinates, ready for collection.
(AAC) Take Their Birds Beyond Optimal Operational Capacity:
It’s not just the men that are pushed beyond their operational limits even the machines are pushed beyond their operational capacity!
The army aviation corps in addition to supply operations do the crucial job of medical evacuations this requires the army aviators to push their aircrafts to the brink of their operational manoeuvrability day after day, lives to depend on their expertise of navigating through such hostile weather, making the life of the rescuer just as much danger.
the AAC uses a specially modified HAL-Cheetah for its high altitude supply and rescue operations, the specialised upgrades allow it to carry double its designated load capacity.
at these unforgiving altitudes, aviators are required to face drastic changes in wind pattern, speed and precipitation, they also require supplementary oxygen and must fly at a stable pace so that the patient on board does not face any further complications.
Acclimatisation:
Soldiers who volunteer to serve in the Siachen glacier undergo a highly specialised training regimen to be acclimatised and be effectively operational during their tenure there.
Soldiers undergo their second stage of acclimatisation at the Siachen base camp which is at a height of 12000 feet, this stage is essential in order for soldiers to be deployed at forwarding posts, they undergo this training with all the equipment and kit they will require during their operations at Siachen,
The acclimatisation process begins with gradual exposure, eventually moving to full-fledged morning runs in full battle gear, the running is essential for a soldier to survive in Siachen since at such high altitudes the human heart beats at an accelerated pace so a daily run helps in increasing the soldiers lungs capacity to sparse more oxygen, and this increased sparsing of oxygen is the difference between survival and death! to further put this into perspective it is important to know that at altitudes of around 8000 feet the human body suffers from acute mountain sickness causing headache, nausea, shortness of breath and inability to exercise, at 12000 feet where the second phase of acclimatisation starts (Siachen base camp), the human body experiances shortness of breath, insomnia etc, at 17000 feet (Bilafond la) the conditon may worsen, body temperatures drop fatally low and the lungs may fill up with fluid, at the 20,000 feet and above the human body may most likely experiance severe acute moutain sickmness, High Altitude Cerberal Dedema (HACO), High Altitude Pulmenory Dedema (HAPO), strokes and heart attacks and death are common scenarios soldiers may face, early symptoms are memory loss, loss of motor functions etc,
these are the conditions the Siachen soldier faces.
Siachin battle school:
The Siachen battle school at 12000 feet is the worlds highest permanent military training school, soldiers face learn about the unpredictable terrain they will face there, they learn how to use crampons for the first time, offensive operations, climbing ice walls, survival and other battle drills are practised here.
Additionally, the elite units of the Indian army train here rigorously honing their skills in high altitude special operations, operations behind enemy lines high altitude rescue among other specialised skills.
Elite sniper teams train here in recon and various other tradecraft, special forces soldiers can operate in such environments for up to 72 hours without food, communications, sleep or additional supplies, training them to be completely self-reliant during.
Psychological & physical cost of serving in Siachen:
Psychological trauma is prevalent on the glacier, soldiers suffer from immense stress, mental breakdowns, anxiety, they are prone to auditory and visual hallucinations, soldiers often start to believe they will never make it home, loss of rational thought and the will to live is common in Siachen.
Physical hazards include damage to the lungs oftentimes filling up with fluids, nausea, epilepsy, heart palpitations, strokes, touching any metal surface, the trigger of the rifle, for example, will immediately cause frostbite which will immediately cause gangrene if not amputated then and there, there have been grotesque cases of a soldiers nose falling after sneezing, ears ripping open after removing the helmet, foot remaining inside the boot after removing boots, these are the extremities of serving in a place which was deemed inhospitable to humans.
So if the Siachen glacier is such a demonic, extreme and inhospitable place and there is nothing worth living there why do our soldiers serve there despite the fact that they are not ordered to do so?
The answer to that question is the grey and white ribbon.
The Siachen Medal
The Indian army does not order its soldiers to serve in the Siachen glacier, the soldiers are volunteers, units are nominated on a rotational basis and the troops volunteer with an eagerness to get that prestigious Siachen posting, that eagerness to rather die than not serve at Siachen comes from the coveted Siachen medal, that grey and white ribbon on the chest is every soldier’s dream and a chance to achieve it is an intoxication beyond any explanation.
A Siachen medal pinned to a soldiers chest speaks magnitudes of what the soldier is capable of and what he/she has experienced, what he/she has endured.
So any hazard to life and limb is minuscule beside the gravity of that medal and that is why they serve.
Siachen is a conflict has been going on for a long time and the end seems distant, it shall remain under the constant the vigil of our brave warriors, so until then…
“Quartered in snow, silent to remain. When the bugle calls, they shall rise and march again.”
Lieutenant General B S Sahrawat has taken over as the Director General of the National Cadet Corps. He has relieved Lt Gen Vinod Vashisht.
Lt Gen Sahrawat was the GOC of Vajra Corps and Director General in the land, works and environment directorate in the Army headquarters prior to assuming the role of DG NCC.
Facts about Lt Gen B S Sahrawat:
DG NCC Lt Gen B S Sahrawat
Lt Gen B S Sahrawat is a third generation army officer.
He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
He was commissioned in December 1980 in 13th Battalion (Rezang La) of Kumaon regiment and commanded the same regiment in Ladakh and during ‘Op Parakram’ in the desert.
The new DG has commanded a mountain brigade at Lucknow and an infantry division in Meerut.
The Gen Officer has commanded 71 Mountain Brigade, 9 Infantry Division and 11 Corps.
The Lt Gen Sahrawat has done all professional courses to include the prestigious NDC Course. He holds a Masters degree in Management Studies from Osmania University, Hyderabad and M. Phil from Madras University.
He has also recently completed his Ph.D. in “Human Capital Management in Army”.
Lt Gen Sehrawat has a distinguished career spanning more than 35 years during which he has tenanted numerous sensitive and coveted appointments in various parts of the country and abroad which included an assignment as a military observer in Iraq and Kuwait for a year.
He was awarded the ‘Sena Medal’ for his sterling effort in saving civilian lives and property during floods of Kosi River in Bihar in the year 2008. He was subsequently also awarded the ‘GOC-in-C, Central Command Commendation Card’.
The NCC or National Cadet Corps is the Indian military cadet corps with its Headquarters at New Delhi. It is open to school and college students on a voluntary basis. National Cadet Corps is a Tri-Services Organization, comprising the Army, Navy, and Air Force, engaged in grooming the youth of the country into disciplined and patriotic citizens. NCC changes cadets’ common college life to an adventurous and thrilling journey of 3 years, teaching them to push limits at every turn of life and to set priorities straight.
The Cadets are given basic military training in small arms and parades. The officers and cadets have no liability for active military service once they complete their course but are given preference over normal candidates during selections based on their achievements in the corps.
SSB Interview Preparation Material [ 100% Recommended]
Although NCC can’t match the standards of IMA, OTA, NA, AFA and NDA, it is a better start for the candidates who realized their dreams of joining the Indian defence after their schooling. Also, given the vast benefits, opportunities and reservation, NCC India is the largest volunteer uniformed youth organisation in the world. Today, an NCC ‘C’ certificate holder have many benefits apart from the following:
Non-Defence Benefits:
Incentives:
While serving, a cadet will be entitled to the following incentives and allowances:
1
Daily Allowance
125/- p.d.
75:25
2
Messing Allowance
95/- p.d.
75:25
3
Incidental
18/- p.d.
75:25
4
Washing & Polishing
10/- p.m.
State Govt
5
Amenity Grant
5/-
100% Centre
6
Refreshment
15/-
100% by State Govt. except for the states of J&K, NER & Sikkim where it is 100 % by the Centre
Scholarships:
Scholarship are awarded to cadets who passes class 10th and 12th examination at Rs 6000/- and Rs 12,000/- respectively as one-time payment. Not a lot but it surely helps to complement that pocket money by your parents. 66 cadets doing professional courses are also awarded Rs 30,000/- each for one year common for Boys and Girls cadets all over India.
Reservation in Education:
Many competitive exams have reservation for ‘C’ certificate holders in terms of awarding ranks. I remember one of my NCC friends, who had been to RDC-2017 and had scored 66,000 rank in state EAMCET. Due to this reservation and benefits, she got a seat in the university which most people below 6,000 rank struggle to get.
Security Agencies:
There are some security agencies – both private and government who prefer recruiting NCC ‘C’ certificate holders thereby giving them an edge over other candidates with a handsome pay.
Defence Benefits:
For the candidates who aspire to join the defence forces, NCC ‘C’ certificate is a golden opportunity for them to go to SSB directly. These candidates are exempted from giving the common entrance exam and are called directly for SSB. NCC ‘C’ certificate holders will have following benefits over non-holders in defence as on 2017:
CDSE (Men):
If a candidate clears his CDSE and subsequent SSB, he will have the following reservation in various academies. A separate merit list is prepared for NCC cadets with ’C’ certificate.
IMA – 13-15 vacancies reserved for ‘C’ Certificate (Army Wing) holders
INA – 05-08 vacancies reserved for ‘C’ Certificate (Naval Wing) holders
Special Entry (Men and Women):
OTA Chennai – 50 vacancies for ‘C’ certificate holders for NCC Spl. Entry (non tech)
AFA Hyderabad – 10% vacancies reserved for ‘C’ certificate Air Wing holders in all courses.
Recruitment as Jawan:
If a candidate wants to join the defence as as Soldier GD/clk/skt/tech/tdn cat, he will be eligible for the award of following benefits:
‘A’ cert 05 marks (GD) 05 marks (clk/skt/tech) 05 marks (tdn)
‘B’ cert 10 marks (GD) 10 marks (clk/skt/tech) 10 marks (tdn)
‘C’ cert: Holders of ‘C’ cert and who have participated in republic day parade will be exempted from CEE for rect sol clk /skt, sol tech and sol NA cat and will be awarded 100% marks in lieu of CEE.
Other Benfits of ‘C’ certificate:
For ORs, Sailors, Airmen: 5 to 10 percent bonus marks awarded for recruitment.
Para Military Forces: 2 to 10 bonus marks awarded for recruitment
Department of telecommunication: Bonus marks awarded for recruitment
CRPF: NCC cadets holding 3rd division degree eligible for recruitment to gazetted posts.
NCC: Civilian Gliding instructors/Girl Cadet Instructors/ Whole Time Lady Officers.
State Govts: Preference for State Services in certain States.
Industry: Some industries give preference to NCC C certificate holders for various jobs related with the field of security.
NCC Games: Cash awards to teams and individuals for excellence.
Non-Tangible Benfits while serving in NCC:
Annual Training Camps: You will make a lot of friends from various schools and colleges of the city.
Republic Day Camp at Delhi (RDC): How can anyone else get a chance to march at Rajpath while still studying?
NCC RDC
Para Training Camp (PTC): Selected cadet get to undergo Parajumping at PTS, Agra along with Indian commandos and get to wear the coveted “Para Wings”.
NCC Para Basic Course
National Integration Camp (NIC): You will make a lot of friends from various schools and colleges from all over India. All India Trekking Expedition: Trekking in various hillstations and other places of interest.
NCC Trekking
All India Mountaineering Expedition: Basic and Advanced Mountaineering course for selected cadets.
NCC Mountaineering Girls
Attachments with Army Unit, Air Force Stations, Naval Base/ Establishment/ Ship/ Sea Training, Service Hospital.
NCC Attachment Training Air Force
Adventure Courses: Mountaineering Basic Course, Mountaineering Advance Course, Water Skiing/Snow Skiing Courses, Snow & Ice (Condensed) Course, Sailing expedition, NRAI Matches, Scuba Diving Course International Outreach: Youth Exchange Programme, Foreign cruise (Navy or Coast Guard). Air Wing Cadets get to fly Micro light aircraft as part of their training.
NCC Microlite
Conclusion:
NCC is not just any other organization that trains youth for the defence of the country, although it was started with that aim. But today, it has come a long way from then and the aim of NCC is developing character, comradeship, discipline, a secular outlook, the spirit of adventure and ideals of selfless service amongst young citizens. Further, it aims at creating a pool of organized, trained and motivated youth with leadership qualities in all walks of life, who will serve the Nation regardless of which career they choose.
HELLO DEAR ASPIRANTS, My name is Chinmaya D Bhat from Bengaluru, Karnataka. I have done B.E in Mechanical Engineering from EWIT,Bengaluru in 2016.I have been recommended for Navy and Army in my 3rd and 4th attempt. I would like to share my SSB experiences spanning 4 attempts. I will also include some of my personal learning that might help you too. My SSB journey started from December 2016 and their details are:
1.Army Tech 48 – Conference out from 19 SSB Allahabad (Dec 2016).
2.Army Tech 49 – Conference out from 20 SSB Bhopal(April 2017).
3.Navy Tech GS Engineering- Recommended from NSB Coimbatore(June 2017).
This journey of one year has made me understand what SSB is about, What I know about myself and realizing each and every day that I want to become an Indian Armed forces Officer.
Please bare with me as this might be long post. Grab a Cup of Coffee which might help you get through this..
1ST ATTEMPT-
I was full of josh that I had received the call letter from Army for SSB.As I had heard that SSB is a test of personality, I went with no preparation at all thinking that “I have it in me” and that is enough. This would be my first visit to North India and the longest train journey of my life.
I was nervous by the sight of 150+ candidates at the MCO, all of them wearing in formals looking sharp and I was in my Jeans and Sandals.(Shows how less I knew).
OIR was easy and PPDT I wrote a common story and participated well in my GD. After getting screened in, I was introduced to this amazing world of SSB. I was happy that I didn’t have to go back home on the first day itself.
I went through Psychology test where I gave my natural responses. GTO tasks were quite challenging as I had a lot of confusions too. Couldn’t perform well in tasks because of it. The Interview with the Deputy President of the Board was a Nightmare as I could not handle the pressure. As a result of all of this I couldn’t get recommended.
But I learnt a new word called “Introspection” at Allahabad. This was said to be the KEY to crack SSB. After coming back to Bengaluru , I started Introspecting where and what I did wrong. But for this I had to understand SSB in a better way. So starts my search for material and sources which landed me at SSBCrack and approaching few Repeater friends.
2ND ATTEMPT-
I had started reading articles and watching videos about SSB, talking to friends about it. Collected opinions from Parents, Friends, Colleagues. I went through the list of 15 OLQs and tried to find out where I was lagging. I had got some clarity by INTROSPECTING.
This time I was better prepared. Now I was a REPEATER too. Screen in, Psych test went well, Interview was much better. Command task is where I faced problems and couldn’t solve all the improvised problems given by the GTO in the course. But I got the opportunity to be subordinate to 2 friends who went on to get recommended later. From their tasks I picked up the points on how Command task is supposed to be done.
I was feeling good about my possibilities of getting recommended but because of a few shortcomings I couldn’t make it. This was again a great learning experience.
3RD ATTEMPT-
June 2,2017.This time it was a Navy entry. I had done the preparation and was ready with a plan of action i.e. KEEPING IT SIMPLE and BEING CALM. As the cut off was high the turn-out at Coimbatore was relatively less(only 57 reported). There were only 5 repeaters and I was one of them. Chest no.54.
OIR and PPDT went well and 20 got screened in including me. Got new Chest No.2. Psychology test went well and now may idea was to just do GTO well. I participated in all GTO tasks actively and gave as much inputs to my team as possible. An Injury to my thigh during Individual Obstacle course made it difficult for me to walk rest of the time. But I still had the most awaited COMMAND TASK to do.
As the GTO kept on increasing the difficulty of the task, I was able to improvise. This made me confident as I felt I had done a good job. On the 4th day I had my interview in the afternoon and I was calm and controlled throughout it. Many questions on Geography, Submarines, Current Affairs were asked and I was able to answer most of it. After this we all candidates went for a Circus On Avinashi Road and to G.D Naidu Car museum.
On the day of Conference I was relaxed as I had completed my part of the process. The Conference took place inside a customized Cargo container turned into a Conference Room(This amazed me a lot!!!). Few questions about my stay and performance at the SSB was asked which ended within a minute.
We were all waiting in the Ante room for the result and taking selfies. I knew that I had done a better job this time and was happy already because of it. A senior officer came in with the result and would give out the Chest numbers of the recommended candidates. He announced CHEST NO.2. THAT WAS ME!!!
I Stood up, told my name and Date of birth as my friends clapped for me. My eyes wetted up in joy. I thanked all of my friends as they left. Only thing that bothered me was that I was the only one recommended and now all alone.
I was then handed over a heap of forms to fill and was told to travel to KOCHI for my medicals. At night I was dropped off at Coimbatore station with a Warrant for train travel. There I met my friends again who were also waiting for their train. We spent some time together before we parted ways. After reaching Kochi, I made my way to INHS SANJEEVINI where I was admitted into OFFICERS’ WARD. This was a privilege ,where I got to interact with a few Officers. All of them were initially very confused seeing me there. They couldn’t understand why a perfectly healthy civilian was admitted there. Later I explained that I was there for my medicals.
After Medicals, I was given a temporary rejection in my medicals due to my Over-Weight. A full 9 kg overweight!!! I had 42 days to shed this weight. I took it up as a challenge and lost 9.6 kg in 40 days. This took a lot of Effort, Sweat and giving up even the simple most dishes I loved. But after 40 days, I was thinner and Fitter than ever before. After Appeal Medical Board, I was declared Medically Fit. It was totally worth it as I was coming closer and closer to becoming an Officer.
October 25th!!! I got a letter from Navy selecting me for the January 2018 Course. Milestone day of my life. This was a long sweet wait. The celebrations so began!!!
4TH ATTEMPT-
I had always wanted to join Army, have always been interested in Armored Vehicles. This always kept pulling me towards Army more and more. I was really happy to see that I was allotted Allahabad for Tech 50 entry, the place that had inspired me a lot. The beautiful Cantt area around the Centre, The NATHULA house of 19SSB, The Candidates line, The volleyball court, The hall of Army heroes were calling me back. I had to go back to relive and visit these places again. So I made my way to Allahabad again.
On 16th Nov,126 people reported, astonishingly again 19 SSB was the board we were allotted to. 33 got screened in. I was Chest no.124 and then later got Chest no.18.Went through Psych test and gave my honest responses. GTO Tasks went well as I was part of an excellent group. Had a lot of fun in GD, GPE, Snake Race and Group tasks. Command task is was where I did a lot of work as the GTO was constantly increasing the difficulty by creating new challenging situations. But somehow I coped with it and performed well.
At the end of GTO tasks I was called in for the Interview. The President of the board was the IO. This interview was also similar to the Navy interview covering similar topics. I walked out feeling good.
So comes the day of conference. As I entered in, I saw the Commandant of the Selection Centre East in front. A barrage of questions were asked about my performance in this attempt, The improvements I could make in future, My positives and Negative qualities, Why I failed in the Initial attempts etc..This was something new for me as all my previous conferences were brief. But I gave my replies and walked out calmly. We were all waiting in the same room where I had waited 1 year ago for the results. The result was announced and my chest number was called out, then my whole stay at Allahabad went before my eyes in a flash. This time 3 of us got recommended. One of them was a fresher and another a 7th time repeater. We grew to become good friends in next 6 days.
The feeling after getting recommended from the same SSB I loved so much was amazing. I felt relieved now. I had done it!!! Getting recommended from Allahabad was a dream and it had become reality now. This time I got the opportunity to don the Chest Number with the + sign on it(I was not given this in Coimbatore) and to travel in the Army bus everyday to Medicals.
This 23rd December I will report to Indian Naval Academy to start with the training. Eagerly looking forward for it. But if I get merit in at Army for Tech-50 course I will seriously consider going OTA later. This was my Journey of SSB!!!
I would like to thank a few people who have given their valuable inputs and inspired me through this process. My parents, my friends who believed in me, Captain Sachin Kashyap (who gave me the first idea about the ways to join Armed forces), Lt.Nandakishore ,Major Vikram, My SSB buddies-Shamik Podder, Reuben Jacob,Sowndharya,Navin Yadav for their continuous valuable inputs about SSB and moral support . Last but not the least SSBCrack!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!
MY LEARNINGS ABOUT TESTS INVOLVED IN SSB
1.SCREENING IN- Do the OIR well enough, let the story of PPDT be simple and short(you will be able to remember the story well), The Individual narration during PPDT is the key. Be confident in narration. Take part in GD as much as possible actively, but don’t get into the chaos.
PSYCHLOGICAL TEST-
TAT- Write stories which inculcate the situation shown in the picture. Better are the stories that you can relate to your life.
WAT and SRT- One has to give his/her natural responses as time between words are very less. In SRTs it is the quality of the reply that counts, not the number.
GTO TASKS-
Group Discussion- Be active in the group. Listen to everybody’s opinion and gather your points in the mean time. Present your points in a gentle manner.
GPE- Analyze the situation at hand carefully(There are resources that are hidden in the details that will help you solve a few problems), prioritize the problems. You can assume a few viable things too from the story. Then help the group to reach a possible solution.
Lecture- Pick a Topic you have better knowledge about. Plan out the points you will use in the talk. Introduce the crowd on the topic and the highlights you are going to cover in the talk(Introduction, Current status, Advantages & Disadvantages and Future prospects). Confidently and slowly go through these points one after the other in detail. This will help you extend your talk to 2.5 minutes easily.
PGT, HGT, Snake Race, FGT- Actively participate in the tasks and give ideas to the group. It is always the group that gets the priority and become a part of it. Listen to the GTO carefully each and every minute(He will be giving tips that you can use to come up with solutions).
Individual obstacle- Try to understand your level of fitness and plan accordingly. Try to clear as many as possible. Keep yourselves safe and don’t take undue risks.
Command Task- Lead from the front. Take responsibility of guiding your subordinates through the task. Look at the structures from all possible angle to get overall idea. Listen to the GTO carefully. Stay calm and work continuously.
INTERVIEW- Keep calm as this will be a good interactive session. Have a smile always and never worry about the things you don’t know. Most of the questions are from your PIQ so be prepared on what you have written. Keep the answers short and simple. Don’t elaborate if not asked. Be honest in your responses. There are a few repeated questions asked every time(Prepare your responses beforehand). Prepare for a few National, International and Defense related topics too.
CONFERENCE- This is generally are a short interactive meeting with the Board, If asked a few questions give answers calmly.
Pick up a good book on SSB to get better idea about the process, I would recommend you to watch YouTube videos too. INTROSPECT as much as possible. You are your best judge!!! Strive to make improvements in every attempt. Here I think I have covered most of what I wanted to share. Now I would like to thank you for reading the whole thing(your patience points just jumped up!!).
The Union Public Service Commission going to conduct the CDS I Exam on date 03th Feb 2019. A large number of candidates have been enrolled for participate in the UPSC CDS Exam 2019. After passing this exam candidates will able to get the admission in indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy, Air Force Academy & Officers Training Academy. UPSC conducts this Exam twice in a year. Now the CDS I Exam will be organized in February month so candidates can check here the 50 History Questions For CDS Exam 2019 for making the good score in the exam.
50 History Questions For UPSC CDS I 2019:
There will be 100 Questions of History in CDS Exam 2019 in paper I and time duration will be 2 hours. So aspirants need to make the good preparation of the examination. We are now sharing here the most important 50 History Questions For CDS Exam 2019 from where the questions will be asked. In this History paper the questions will be asked form following topics: Current events, daily news paper headlines, chemistry, history, geography, etc.
We have shared you here the 20 sample questions of the CDS History Exam 2019. Candidates can read questions to get the idea and level of the question from the below. By these questions you can check that how much need to prepare and which part is week.
Match the following:
List I List II
(Modern name of River) (Ancient name of Rivers)
Askini i. Ravi
Parushani ii. Chenab
Sutudri iii. Jhelum
Vitasta iv. Sutlej
Codes A B C D
(A) i ii iii iv
(B) ii i iv iii
(C) ii iv i iii
(D) vi ii iii i
Answer: -B
2. Archaeological ruins of which of the following places are in the UNESCO World Heritage List?
Mohenjo-Daro
Lothal
Harappa
Kalibangan
Answer: – A
3. Consider the following statements
The Gandhara Art of Peshawar valley is known for some of finest sculptors made in dark grey schist.
The Kushar as were the first Indian kings to have portrait of themselves made in theirs wines.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(A) Only I
(B) Only II
(C) Both I and II
(D) Neither I and II
Answer: – C
Narasimhadev I, who built sun temple of Gujarat belongs to which dynasty?
(A) Somavansi Dynasty
(B) Imperial Ganga Dynasty
(C) Suryavansi Dynasty
(D) The Chola Dynasty
Answer: – B
Match the following
List I List II
(Buddhism texts) (Subject)
Vinaya Pitaka I. Sermons of Buddha to Anand
Jataka Stories II. Philosophy of Buddhism
Sutta Pitaka III. Rules for Sangha
Abhidhamma Pitaka IV. Pre-Births of Buddha
Code A B C D
(A) III IV II I
(B) IV III II I
(C) III IV I II
(D) II I IV III
Answer: – C
6. Which of the following is/are true about Jainism?
Parsvanatha was the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism.
Bhadrabahu founded the Digambar (sky clad) sect of Jainism.
III. Sthulbhadra founded Shvetamber (White clad) of Jainism
Chandragupta Maurya followed Bhadrabahu to south India and died there.
(A) I, II and III
(B) I and II
(C) III and IV
(D) All are correct
Answer: – D
7.Who coined the term Neolithic?
(A) John Lubbock
(B) John Evans
(C) Jergenson Thomson
(D) Mortimer Wheeler
Answer: – A
8. Which of the following authors is/are correctly matched?
Indica – Megasthenes
Vrihamsiddhanta – Varahmihir
III. Vikramorvasiyam – Kalidas
Kalpsutra – Bhadrabahu
(A) I, II and III
(B) II and III
(C) II and IV
(D) I, III and IV
Answer: – D
9. Which one of the following statements regarding Harappan civilization is correct?
Most of the Harappan seals are made of steatite.
The most frequently found Animals is unicorn bull.
III. Designer bricks are only found at Kalibangan
Mesopotamian civilization was the contemporary of Harappa civilization.
(A) I and II
(B) I, II and III
(C) All are correct
(D) III and IV
Answer: – C
10. Which of the following is/are correctly matched?
Allahabad Prashasti – Samundragupta
Aihole Inscription – Pulakesin II
Gwalior Prashasti – Devapala
Junagarh Inscription – Rudradaman
(A) 1, 2 and 3
(B) 2, 3 and 4
(C) 3 and 4
(D) 1, 2 and 4
Answer: – D
11. Al-Biruni came to India with which of the following?
(A) Mahmud of Ghazni
(B) Mohammad Ghori
(C) Iltutmish
(D) Babar
Answer: – A
12. Arrange the following in chronological order according to their time of construction.
Tughlaqabad Fort
Lodi Gardens
III. Qutub Minar
Fatehpur Sikri
(A) III, I, II and IV
(B) III, I, IV and II
(C) I, III, II and IV
(D) I, III, IV and II
Answer: – A
13. Read the following statements:
He organized an efficient sky system.
He introduced market regulation
III. He introduced branding of Horses (Daag) and description of soldiers (chehra).
He resisted the Mongol Invasions successfully
Above statements are about
(A) Sikandar Lodi
(B) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
(C) Alauddin Khalji
(D) Qutb al-Din Aibak
Answer: – C
14. Which of the following is/are correctly matched.
Diwan-i-Bandgan – Firoz Tuqhlaq
Diwan-i-Arz – Balban
III. Iqtadari system -Iltutmish
Diwan-i-kohi -Mohd. Bin Tuqhlaq
(A) I, II, III and IV
(B) II, III and IV
(C) III and IV
(D) II and IV
Answer: – A
15. Which are of the following statements about the teaching of Kabir is not correct?
(A) He believed in universal love
(B) He emphasized on one God and the spread of devotionalism.
(C) He was not against pilgrimage and idle worship
(D) He did not consider it necessary to abandon the normal life of a householder.
Answer: – D
16. Consider the following statements relating to Sher-Shah. Which of the following is/are correct.
Sher Shah set up army cantonments in different parts of the empire and a strong garrison was posted in each of them
During Sher Shah’s reign the village Panchayat and Zamindars were allowed to deal with civil and criminal cases at the local level.
(A) I
(B) II
(C) I and II
(D) None of these
Answer: -C
17. Consider the following statements about the famous traveller Ibn Batuta.
He was a Moroccan traveller originally started for Haj.
He wrote Kitab-Ul-Hind/Rihla.
III. He was an envoy of sultan of Delhi to China
He came to India in 1334 AD and remain here for 8 years as a Kazi of Delhi.
Which of the above is/are correct.
(A) All of the above
(B) II and III
(C) I, II and III
(D) I and II
Answer: -A
18. Which of following statements are correct about Vijay Nagar Empire.
It was well known for spice, textile & precious stones.
During Krishnadeva Raja’s rule, Vijay Nagar was at its Zenith of glory.
III. The Portuguese travellers Domingo paes and Barbosa came to India during his reign.
(A) I and II
(B) I, II and III
(C) II and III
(D) None of these
Answer: -B
19. Which of the following legalised the Company’s control over Bengal?
(a) The treaty with Mir Jaffar after the battle of Plassey
(b) The treaty with Mir Jaffar after the battle of Buxar
(c) the treaty of February 1765 With Nizam Ud Duala
(d) the imperial grant of the diwani of Bengal Bihar and Orissa by Shah Alam II
Answer: -D
Which of the following is the correct chronological order of kings
(A) Iltutmish → Sikander Lodi → Balban → Babur
(B) Iltutmish → Balban → Sikander Lodi → Babur
(C) Balban → Sikander Lodi → Babur → Iltutmish
(D) Babur → Balban → Iltutmish → Sikander Lodi
Answer: -B
UPSC CDS History Preparation Tips:
The Union Public Service Commission going to conduct the CDS I Paper in Feb 2018. So there is few time remaining in the exam. Candidates who have been applied need to start the UPSC CDS History Preparation now. Candidates are advised to don’t waste their golden time and start the CDS preparation from now. You can also join the online coaching classes for save the time. By the help of coaching you can get the updated syllabus and study material of the CDS Exam. Aspirants can solve their doubts in an easy way by group discussion. The CDS Exam is a good competitive exam at national level. So you can read the below given steps to get high rank in CDS I 2019:
UPSC CDS History Exam Preparations Key points:
We have written the some points by the help of these aspirants can crack the history paper in easy way.
Candidates need to check the History Syllabus & Exam Pattern of CDS 2019.
Then collect the good books according to syllabus.
Make a self study plan and follow that.
Prepare all the topics according to weightage of exam.
Solve some previous year history papers.
Don’t leave the weak part in preparation.
You can also join the online courses or classes for solving your doubts.
Remember you need to prepare the complete syllabus for make confirm your selection.
Flying branch of Indian Air Force is one of the most prestigious branches that candidates look up to. The level of flying, the standards and all of this with honour & pride. Nothing can beat this feeling.
But becoming an Air Force pilot is not that easy either. Just in the recent course of January 2018, only 8 people were selected for the flying branch. Yes, 8! And that is including one candidate from NCC. This being said, not becoming a pilot is not that hard either. You just need to have the zeal and passion.
You can either be a Permanent Commissioned pilot or a short-serviced commissioned pilot in the Air Force. Permanent Commission entries are through NDA, CDSE and NCC Spl Entry. Short Service entries are through AFCAT.
Here is how you can become a pilot in the Indian Air Force:
Flying Officers of Pilot Course
Permanent Commission:
Any candidate can become a PC pilot in the Air Force with three entries: NDA, CDSE and NCC Spl Entry
Through National Defence Academy, you are a sure shot to-be pilot in the air force. Notification releases every June and December for the half yearly exam for 12th class and 12th pass boys till the age of 19½ years. A candidate need to have Physics and Math at 10+2 level.
Age – 16 ½ to 19 ½ years (at the time of commencement of course)
Nationality – Indian
Gender – Men only
Educational Qualifications – 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. Students appearing in final year are also eligible to apply.
Advertisement Schedule – January and June. (Advertisement is released by UPSC. Visit www.upsc.gov.in)
After selection, the candidate will go through a 3-year course in the NDA followed by a 1-year pre-commissioned training at AFA, Hyderabad.
CDSE:
Just like the NDA entry, the CDSE exam in also conducted twice a year. Notification for this exam comes out every July and November. Candidates need to have studied Physics and Math at 10+2 level along with any graduate degree.
Age – 20 to 24 years (at the time of commencement of course)
Nationality – Indian
Marital Status – Single
Gender – Men only.
After the selection, the candidate will go through a 1-year pre-commissioning course at AFA, Hyderabad.
NCC Special Entry:
NCC cadets in possession of ‘C’ certificate with a minimum 60% marks in any graduate degree with Physics and Math at 10+2 level are eligible to apply. The application procedure is online and the notification releases every June and December. The cadet must not be more than 24 years old while applying.
Age –20 to 24 years (at the time of commencement of course). Upper age limit for Candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed up to 26 years(at the time of commencement of course).
Nationality – Indian
Marital Status – Single
Gender – Men only.
Short Service Commission:
AFCAT:
Any graduate with a minimum of 60% marks and having studied Physics and Math at 10+2 level are eligible to apply for flying branch through AFCAT. The notification releases every June and December.
Age – 20 to 24 years (at the time of commencement of course).Upper age limit for Candidates holding valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (India) is relaxed up to 26 years(at the time of commencement of course).
The joint military exercise between Indian Army and Maldives National Defence Force, Exercise Ekuverin-2017, began on 15th December, 2017. The exercise commenced at the Maratha Centre in Belgavi, Karnataka.
During the opening ceremony, a fly-past by the Army Aviation helicopters with flags of both the countries was held. This was followed by march past and review of both the contingents by Commandant, Maratha Centre. A spectacular display was carried out by the Pipes and Drums Band of Sirmoor Rifles. The traditional Sword Display by Sikh troops of BEG, Kirkee had mesmerised the audience.
About Exercise Ekuverin – 2017:
Since 2009, the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force have been conducting Exercise Ekuverin, meaning ‘friends’ in the Dhivehi language.
This exercise is held alternatively in India and Maldives.
This is the 8th exercise of the joint annual training and focuses to enhance interoperability between the two forces for counter-terrorist operations in semi urban environment.
This is a 14-day training exercise and will go on till 28 December.
The Indian Army is being represented by the Sirmoor Rifles and Marine troops of Maldives National Defence Force are representing Maldives.
“The focus of the exercise is to acquaint both armies with each other’s operating procedures in the backdrop of counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism operations in an urban or semi-urban environment under the U.N. charter,” the Ministry of Defence said.
Personnel Strength:
2 officers and 43 other ranks are taking part on behalf of Maldives, while the Indian Army is represented by 3 officers, 3 Junior Commissioned Officers and 39 other ranks belonging to a Gorkha Rifles Battalion (Sirmoor Rifles.)
Exercise EKUVERIN-2016:
The last exercise was held at Kaddhoo in the Lammu Atol of Maldives. India was represented by a platoon strength from BIHAR Regiment and a similar strength of the Maldivian National Defence Force participated on behalf of Maldives.
Exercise EKUVERIN – 2016 was the 7th edition of Joint Exercise whereas the sixth edition was held at Trivandrum, India in 2015.
Conclusion:
Maldives shares very close ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial ties with India. Exercise Ekuverin helps in further strengthening of the ties between the two nations.
![AFCAT 1 2018 ONLINE REGISTRATION [UPDATES]](https://www.ssbcrack.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AFCAT-1-2018-ONLINE-REGISTRATION-UPDATES.jpg "AFCAT 1 2018 ONLINE REGISTRATION [UPDATES]")
